Practice

Pittsburgh Becomes Third 2030 Eco-District in U.S.

Pittsburgh now has 20 years to become carbon neutral, if it is to make the 2030 Challenge.

Courtesy Green Building AllianceMayor Luke Ravenstahl, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Councilman Daniel Lavelle, and many of the founding partners of the Pittsburgh 2030 District.

Yesterday, Pittsburgh became the third city in two years to be named a 2030 District, as part of nonprofit Architecture 2030’s goal to use buildings to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Architecture 2030 would like to see all new buildings and renovations become carbon-neutral by the year 2030, but communities and cities can also sign on to the 2030 Challenge and set the same goals for a group of buildings.

Pittsburgh’s Green Building Alliance, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced that the city would commit 61 properties and over 23 million square feet to the greenhouse-gas-reduction challenge. Property owners and managers, local governments, businesses, architects, and planners will work together to implement strategies, leverage financing, and share resources in pursuit of the goal.

The first city to become a 2030 District was Seattle in 2011; the local AIA chapter even launched a professional series called AIA+2030 to help architects and engineers meet their 2030 commitments, which was subsequently rolled out on the national level. AIA Cleveland was the second city become a 2030 District in May.

“The 2030 District model is a private-sector sustainability initiative for urban development that sets feasible, long-term targets. As municipalities continue to struggle with financial challenges, this is an exciting, robust new model for our time” said Brian Geller, founder and executive director of the Seattle 2030 District in a press release.

Earlier this year, Architecture 2030 announced that the U.S. was on course to hit its carbon-neutral target, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration projected a 70 percent reduction since 2005, due to improved design and performance. This is despite a 38.6 percent projected increase in building floor area in the same time period, EcoHome reported.